Eye-cover or blinker for bridles.



M. KOPPEL. EYE COVER 0R BLINKER FOR BRIDLBS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21, 1910,

Patented June 7, 1910.

M. KOPPEL. EYE COVER 0R BLINKER FOR BRIDLBS.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 21, 1910.

Patented June 7, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

AMIJREWAB. GRAHAM co. PHOTO-LFTNDGRARHERS.WASHINGTON. v.11. I

M. KOPPEL.

EYE COVER 0R BLINKEB. FOR BRIDLES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.21,1910.

960,648, Patented June 7,1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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IVIIHKEL KOPPEL, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

EYE-COVER OR BLINKER FOR BRIIDLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. February 21, 1910.

Patented June '7, 1910.

Serial No. 545,150.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MII-IKEL KOIPEL, a subject of the Czar of Russia, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Eye- Covers or Blinkers for Bridles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in eye covers or blinkers for bridles, and more particularly to an improved bridle or portion of a bridle, which enables the driver with a single pair of reins to drive, as can be done with any ordinary reins, and which 1n addition, by a particular movement of the reins, cause the eye covers or blinkers to move against the head of the horse to cover his eyes, and prevent him from seeing anything, thus enabling the driver, if the horse should continue to run, to direct him into some wall or object to stop him, or to guide him and control him to a great extent.

A further object is to provide improve ments of this character, in which a rotary bit is employed and which will turn but slightly under the ordinary manipulation of the reins in driving, but which may be given a considerable rotary movement when one rein is pulled and held taut, while the other is pulled, and provide improved means operated by this unusual turning movement of the bit to cause the eye covers or blinkers to entirely obstruct the vision of the animal.

A further object is to provide improve ments of this character in which the eye covers or blinkers are normally held, so as to position the covers or blinkers, as is ordinarily done, and provide springs which move the blinkers to obstruct the vision of the animal when the holding means permits such movement, whereby, regardless of the pull on the reins, only the pressure of the springs will be upon the eye covers or blinkers, so that the animal will not be injured.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, and combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1, is a view in side elevation illustrating the application of my improvements. Fig. 2, is a view of the device showing the bridle Fig. 3, is a view in elevation of the device at one side of a bridle, showing the position of the parts when normal. Fig. 4, is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the position of parts when operated, to obstruct the vision of the animal. Fig. 5, is an enlarged view in section, on the line 5, 5, of Fig. 3, and Fig. 6, is adetailed perspective view of one of the blinker frames.

At opposite sides of the bridle, and adapted to be located at opposite sides of the animals head, and extending longitudinally thereof, as shown in Fig. 1, are metal bars 1, and as these bars and the parts carried thereby are precisely alike, the hereinafter description of one will apply alike to both. Each bar is bent or curved so as to conform to the shape of a horses head, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2, and to protect the horses head from contact with the metal, a strip of felt 2, is employed which extends along the inner face of the bar 1, at that portion which engages the wider part of the animals head, and the ends of the strip of felt extend through openings 3, and 4, respectively in bar 1, and are removably held by means of metal clamps 5. I might, of course, employ various forms of clamps to hold the strip 2, one form being illustrated which is in the form of a cam or eccentric lever, serving to bind the end of the strip 2, against the outer face of bar 1, and enabling said strip to be readily replaced when soiled or worn. The upper opening 3, also serves as an entrance for the button or rosette 6, on the upper bridle straps 7, and 8. -The shank of the button or rosette 6, moves upward into a restricted slot 9, in the upper end of bar 1, and is caught by a spring catch 10, shown most clearly in Figs. 3, and 4, so as to effectually secure the bar 1, to the button or rosette 6, yet permit its removal when desired.

The lower ends of bars 1, are provided with alined openings in which a bit 11, is mounted. This bit is preferably of circular form and is held against accidental turning movement by light springs 12, said springs also serving to return the bit to normal position when turned. On the opposite ends of the bit 11, crank arms 13, and 14, respectively are provided, and are preferably integral with the bit and have integral headed buttons 15, for the attachment of the reins 16. Each rein 16, is provided at its end with a snap hook 17 preferably of the particular form shown most clearly in Figs. 3, and 4,

and these snap hooks 17, engage the shanks of the buttons 15, and connect the reins thereto.

Each blinker 18, comprises a wire frame 19, of general rectangular form with the ends bent as shown at 20, and secured to a short pin 21, having a crank arm 22, thereon. The pin 22, is mounted in bearings 23, secured to bar 1, and coiled springs 24:, are provided around pin 21, and exert a pressure on the blinker to force it into close Contact with the head of the animal, it being understood that the frame 19 is covered by a flexible material, so that when the blinker is forced tight against the head, the vision of the animal will be entirely out ofi. The blinker, however, is held. slightly away from the animal, to permit him to see in a forward direction, and this holding is accomplished by means of a longitudinal rod 25, which is mounted to slide in bearin s 26, on bar 1, and is made with a cam bend 27, the cam face of which engages crank arm 22, so that when the rod 25, is in its normal and highest position, the cam surface of the bend 27, will press the crank arm 22, against bar 1, and hold the blinker in normal position, but when the rod 25, is pulled downward by my improved mechanism hereinafter described, the cam bend 27, will permit the springs 24, to move the blinker so as to shut off the vision of the animal.

The lower ends of the rods 25, are pro vided with eyes 28, through which the ends of cams 29, project. These cams are secured rigidly on the bit 11, and they are so curved that the normal movement of the bit, from ordinary movement of the reins in driving, will not serve to move rods 25, longitudinally, but a premeditated and peculiar consecutive pull on the reins will move the cams 29, far enough to draw rods 25, downward, as will more fully hereinafter appear.

By reference particularly to Figs. 3, and 4:, it will be seen that the crank arms 13, and 14:, are disposed at an angle to each other. While the exact angle is not essential, some angle less than 180 degrees is practicable, and the crank arms must be normally positioned so that one extends above and the other below a horizontal line drawn through the axis of bit 11, when the parts are in normal working position. The reason for this is, that when one of the reins is pulled to guide the animal in one direction, or the other rein pulled to guide the animal in the opposite direction, the bit will be turned but slightly, not far enough to pull rods 25, downward. If a strong pull is had on both reins simultaneously to stop the animal, the bit will not turn at all. If, however, the animal is running away and the driver has lost control of him, a strong pull on the left rein will cause the bit to turn far enough to bring the crank arm 13,

at the right, above the dead center or horizontal line of the axis of bit 11, so that if while the left line is held, the right line is given a pull, the bit will be further turned in the same direction, far enough for the cams 29, to pull the rods 25, downward, and release the blinkers as shown in Fig. 4, and when the pull on the reins is released, springs 12, will return the parts to normal position. It will therefore be noted, that the ordinary operation of the reins will not operate the blinkers, but it is necessary to first pull one rein and hold it taut, and then pull the other rein, when the blinkers will be released and the animals vision obstructed.

Various slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangement of parts described without departing from my invention and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty tomake such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a rotary bit, means supporting the bit, crank arms on opposite ends of the bit disposed at an angle to each other, reins removably connected to said crank arms, blinkers hinged to said supporting means, springs pressing the blinkers inward, devices normally holding the blinkers in their outward position, and cams on the bit engaging said devices and adapted when the bit is turned to move said devices and permit the blinkers to move inward.

2. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a rotary bit, means supporting the bit, crank arms on the bit, cams secured on the crank arms,hinged blinkers, and devices operated by the cams when the bit is revolved, to compel the blinkers to move inwardly and obstruct the vision of the animal, substantially as described.

3,. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a rotary bit, means supporting the bit, crank arms on the bit at an angle to each other, cams secured on said bit, hinged blinkers, springs pressing said blinkers inward, devices holding said blinkers outward, and the position of said devices controlled by said cams, and said cams operated by the rotary movement of the bit, substantially as described.

4. In a mechanism of the character de scribed, the combination of a rotary bit, means supporting the bit, crank arms on opposite ends of the bit disposed at an angle to each other, springs normally holding the bit against turning, reins removably connected to said crank arms, blinkers hinged to said su ortin means s rin s ressin the blinkel zs inwai d, devides iioriiially hold ing the blinkers in their outward position, and cams on the bit engaging said devices and adapted when the bit is turned to move said devices and permit the blinkers to move inward.

5. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a rotary bit,

gitudinally movable rods having cam portions, arms on said blinkers engaging said cam portions, whereby when said rods are in their highest position, the blinkers are held in normal position, and loops at the lower ends of saidrods engaging said cams, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MIHKEL KOPPEL. l/Vitnesses:

R. H. KRENKEL, JOSHUA R. H. POTTS. 

